The present invention comprises a new and distinct Verbena plant botanically known as Verbena hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balazreve’.
The new cultivar was developed by the inventor through a controlled breeding program during December 2001 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Verbena cultivars with a semi-trailing mounded habit, continuous flowering, excellent basal branching and small, dark green-colored foliage, and attractive flower coloration.
The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietary Verbena breeding selection BFP-0970, not patented, which exhibits a semi-trailing growth habit, bright red-colored flowers, and dark green-colored foliage. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietary Verbena breeding selection BFP-1476, not patented, which exhibits a semi-trailing growth habit, red-colored flowers with “eye”, and dark green-colored foliage.
One plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination was discovered and selected by the inventor in April 2002.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings in West Chicago, Ill. since April 2002, has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar, as herein described, reproduce true to type and are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.